Local artist Tara Velan worked with us to revitalize and uplift the Compass Center with a mural. She created a beautiful mural at Nyer Urness House late last year. She jumped in when the opportunity came to work at our Compass Center location.
“Doing this sort of community art is so appealing to me,” she said. “This kind of work can have a big impact and I would love to do more. I’d love to do something for the city for example.”
Tara and the team at Compass Center planned the mural together with the foundational idea of rebirth and rejuvenation. The mural is an artistic representation of our core beliefs of love, hope, resilience, and triumph and will symbolize our sincere belief that everyone can rise and progress no matter what life has thrown at them.
The image of the mythical bird, the Phoenix, popped into Tara’s head.
“The Phoenix represents rising up,” she said. “It is literally about rebirth and that is what Compass allows people to find within themselves again so they can move forward.”
She painted the mural over a few weekends coming in after hours and staying late into the night. As she was making the final touches she talked about the piece’s symbolism.
“There are lots of symbols in this piece that are about resiliency and toughness,” she said. “The roots and the water show depth. People are more than what you see on their worst day. They have history and feelings and thoughts that you might not realize until you get to know them.”
You can follow Tara’s incredible art on her Instagram page: www.instagram.com/yesitstara.